Theatre company’s tour van stolen for second time in a year

Theatre company the Lord Chamberlain’s Men has been left in shock after its tour van was stolen for the second time in one year.

Peter Stickney, artistic director of the all-male Shakespeare ensemble, was “devastated” to discover the company’s tour van was missing on the morning of May 21.

The hired white Mercedes van, which is worth £35,000 and contains set and costume worth £30,000, was taken from outside the company’s base in Lewisham, London.

This follows a similar incident on July 19 last year, when the Lord Chamberlain’s Men’s tour van for a production of The Comedy of Errors was stolen from the Streatham area of London.

Stickney said: “I was just in absolute and total shock – just devastated. Lightning, it turns out, does strike twice. Once was extremely painful, but for it to happen twice is unbelievable.”

The artistic director is appealing to members of the public who might come across the costumes or set abandoned in the area to get in contact with the company.

He added that “the show will go on” for the company’s upcoming performance of The Tempest at Brighton Festival from May 24 to 26.

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